Sterile indicating means in sterilizing thermometers



April 29, 1930- E. o. LINDBERG 1,756,064

STERILE INDICATING MEANS IN STERILIZING THERMOMETERS Filed May 24, 1928 -cbL0 STERILE cow STERILE Patented Apr. 29, 1930 A umrso STATES ERNEST O. LINDBERG, OF JAMAICA, NEW

PATENT OFFICE CORPORATION or AMERICA, or NEW YORK, n. x, a eonronnrron or NEW 1on1:

STERILE INDICATING MEANS IN srnnrnrzmq gcnnnnoiyrnrnns Application filed May 24,

My invention relates to an improvement in the combination of a sterile indicating means 1n a sterilizing thermometer and the novelty lies in the adaptation and arrange sterilized water or other liquid and not knowing that it is not sterilized use it'on the patient with bad if not fatal results. This diiiiculty has become so serious in many hospitals that the nurses on leaving the sterilizing apparatus frequently resort to sticking strips of adhesive plaster on the various tanks marking them sterile or not sterile in accordance r with their condition. This practice has also been found dangerous as the strips sometimes fall off and no safe indicating means is available and as is well known it isnot possible to make any quick test of the contents of the tanks to determine if they are sterile or not. Also this practice of marking the tanks by the use ofstrips of adhesive plaster is not sanitary and tends to injure the exterior of a the sterilizing tanks on which they are used.

'pitals without a satisfactory solution al-. 40

There is therefore a most serious problem of indicating if the contents of sterilizing tanks are sterile or not sterile and this problem has existed for many years in the hosthough doctors and nurses and those engaged in the manufacture of sterilizers have realized this problem during these many years.

My device has solved this problem in a simple and positive manner furnishing the operator or those using the sterilizer with definite information if the contents of a sterilizer is sterile or warning them in no uncertain manner if the contents of the sterilizer is not sterile.

Referring to the drawings Figures 1 and 2 1928. Serial No. asoilfis.

are front elevations of my device indicating cold and hot sterile tanks with the unnecessary portions of the sterilizer being broken away for convenience in illustration.

Figures 3 'andet are the same as Figures 1 and 2 respectively with the indicating means reversed in each case.

Figure 5' is an enlargement of the thermometer and indicating means of Figure '1, a portion being broken away to show the intenor-construction.

In the drawings 6 is a sterilizer tank on which is mounted in the usual well known manner athermometer 7 'in a thermometer casing of usual construction 8 which terminates in its upper portion in a head portion 9'and a cylindrical sleeve portion 10. An indicating plate 11 terminates at its base in a tapered circular shoulder portion 12 which is adapted to rest on the cylindrical portion of the thermometer casing 8. The indicating plate 11 also has a cylindrical spindle 13 which is rigidly mounted in the circular shoulder 12. A spiral spring 14 of usual construction is mounted around said cylindrical spindle 13 being fastened therethrough at its upper end at 15 and the lower end of said spiral spring 14 is formed in a larger spiral 16 which is adapted to engage under the edge of a shoulder 17 formed at the junction of the head 9 with the cylindrical sleeve portion '10 whereby the spindle 13 d the imitati g pla e 11 ca thereon is mounted under constant downward spring tension of the spring 14. A cross pin 18 is rigidly mounted through the spindle 13 and is adapted to sink in cross slots 19 cut in the edge of the cylindrical sleeve portion 10.

It is to be particularly noted that the indicating plate 11 has a clear indicating side 20 on the sterile indicating side and a danger or red indication 21 on the not sterile side.

In operating my device when the operator fills the sterilizer with fresh liquid to be sterilized at the same time the operator will turn the indicator 11 so that the red or danger side 21 shows and anyone approaching the sterilizer is immediately warned thereby that this sterilizer contains material which has not been sterilized. When the sterilization ha been completed in said sterilizer the operator will then turn'the indicator 11 around half way so that the clear or sterile face 20 will indicate to anyone approaching the sterilizer that the contents of said sterilizer are sterile and ready for use. As the operatorturns the indicator 11 by the handle it willbeislightly pulled upwardly so as to release the cross pig]. 1 8 from the cross sockets 19 whereby the indi- 70 cator'll can be turned-half way-around until p the cross pin 18 will again register in the cross sockets19. but withthereverse sideof the indicator'll then presenting itself to any- 7 one approaching the sterilizer. The ..sprin-g 15 14 looking under the shoulder 17 at 16 main tains'the'cross pi'n 18in the engagedposition I in the cross sockets 19'thereby effecting a lockin g of the indicator 11 inthe desired indicat-, ing position against accidental dislodg nent. a It is apparentzthat many ya'riationsmay be omadein-the construction and arrangement. of the parts without departing from thespirit and intent of the same as" defined by the a 'claims."" 1 n -v 05 I 1' 1. A hollow cap adapted to encase the up.-- 7 per end of asterilizer thermometer'and housing a spindle carrying a sterile indicating a means thereon under constant downward;

3U spring tension therein, a cross pin mounted 7 through said spindle and adaptedto engage a seat in the upper edge of said cap whereby a sterile and unsteril'e indicating means is. combined in a sterilizer thermometer. 5 2 A hollow cap adapted to encase the upper end of a'sterilizer thermometer and hous ing a spindle carrying a sterile indicating. means thereon under constant downward springtension therein, a cross pin mounted through saidspindle and adapted to seat in a seat in, the upper edge of said cap, said seat having curved shoulders whereby said pin can be rolled out of said s'eatengagement by rotating said indicating means-and its spindle I whereby a sterile and unsterile indicating means is operated through the operationvof the head of a sterilizing thermometer.

In testimonywhereof I aflix my'signature. ERNEST O. LINDBERG. 7 p o a a a 

